{"id":377056,"date":"2026-04-06T00:38:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T00:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/377056\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T00:38:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T00:38:15","slug":"doctor-issues-warning-to-anyone-taking-pre-workout-supplements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/377056\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor issues warning to anyone taking pre-workout supplements"},"content":{"rendered":"

From a daily creatine to post-gym protein shake, plenty of you gym rats will have a pretty dedicated routine when it comes to working out.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s just in the supplements, let alone the actual gym routine.<\/p>\n

For many, the session doesn\u2019t even start until you\u2019ve had your pre-workout, typically being some kind of concocted drink that\u2019s high in caffeine.<\/p>\n

Just like creatine<\/a> has, pre-workout has surged in popularity from elite sport<\/a> to the mainstream over recent years. But as there is with most things, there can be a number of side effects to using these supplements.<\/p>\n

And a doctor recently took to YouTube<\/a> Shorts to issue a bit of warning about using caffeine \u2013 particularly in \u2018powdered forms\u2019.<\/p>\n

While his videos do not serve as a substitute for professional medical advice, Dr Sermed Mezher is a published academic author who shares \u2018high quality scientific<\/a> content\u2019.<\/p>\n

\"Pre-workoutsPre-workouts can have a number of side effects. (Getty Stock Image)The doc\u2019s warning<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very hard to get too much caffeine from coffee, but powdered forms are a whole other animal,\u201d he said in one video.<\/p>\n

Dr Mezher<\/a> claimed many pre-workouts are now \u2018containing these powdered forms of caffeine\u2019 and that there\u2019s a misconception that: \u201cThe more you have, the better you\u2019ll perform.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, he says this absolutely isn\u2019t \u2018always the case\u2019.<\/p>\n

Instead, he claims there is the \u2018potential\u2019 that they can cause: \u201cFast heart rate, tremors, hallucinations, and even seizures.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Mehzer added: \u201cTo get that much caffeine from coffee, even if you were taking double espressos, you\u2019re looking at about eight cups to reach over a gram.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if you\u2019re looking at powdered forms, it\u2019s simply just a few scoops.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, while he says \u2018take your pre-workouts\u2019, it\u2019s important to \u2018do so responsibly\u2019.<\/p>\n

\"You'dYou’d need a lot of coffee to get the same effect. (Getty Stock Image)Benefits of pre-workout<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no denying that a pre-workout can help get you through a particularly strenuous session at the gym \u2013 especially if you\u2019re someone who hits it first thing in the morning or after a long, tiring day.<\/p>\n

And registered sports nutritionist Rob Hobson told Men\u2019s Health<\/a>: \u201cFor me, the main performance benefits come from ingredients like caffeine, which is well-researched for improving alertness and endurance, and carbohydrates, which provide the fuel your muscles actually need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Generally, pre-workout has the ability to optimise your strength, improve your endurance and focus and help to build up more energy during training.<\/p>\n

FSA warning<\/p>\n

In 2024, the Food Standards Agency<\/a> (FSA) issued guidance on food supplements containing caffeine.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs caffeine is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, stimulatory effects may begin 15 to 30 minutes after ingestion and may last for a number of hours exerting physiological effects or leading to side effects (for example headaches and nausea),\u201d it explained.<\/p>\n

The agency said that caffeine intakes of up to 400mg per day are unlikely to cause adverse effects for most individuals.<\/p>\n

It warned: \u201cHigh levels of caffeine can cause anxiety, sleeplessness, agitation, palpitations, diarrhoea and restlessness, and individuals with a mental health condition can experience worsened psychosis. These effects may be more severe in individuals who are caffeine sensitive and\/or have underlying health issues such as heart disease or high blood pressure, and effects may occur at lower doses.\u201d<\/p>\n

The FSA added that excessive consumption is associated with various serious adverse effects: \u201cSuch rapid heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms and seizures, which have been observed at intakes of approximately 1.2 grams (1,200 mg) of caffeine. Caffeine intakes of above 10-14 grams (10,000-10,400 mg) have been reported to be fatal, although smaller doses can also be life-threatening to sensitive populations. These cases have occurred where pure caffeine has been measured incorrectly.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, make sure to read the label properly and calculate in your other sources of caffeine such as tea, coffee and energy drinks<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From a daily creatine to post-gym protein shake, plenty of you gym rats will have a pretty dedicated…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":377057,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[1455,163,85,46,543,2224],"class_list":{"0":"post-377056","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-food-and-drink","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-il","11":"tag-israel","12":"tag-nutrition","13":"tag-sport"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=377056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/377057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=377056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=377056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=377056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}